Two attack drones that crashed in Beirut early Sunday morning have been confirmed by analysts who viewed images of the two UAVs to both have been Iranian models, rather than Israeli.
A video of one of the “Israeli drones” was uploaded to Twitter, showing its four-legged configuration.
Video of downed Israeli spy drone in Mouawad neighborhood in 's southern suburb () at 2AM today
Drone said to carry explosives and to conduct assassinations pic.twitter.com/scuyHnjzrp— Mohamad Kleit (@kleitm)
Lebanese state media released official photographs of the drones later on Sunday. One of the unmanned aerial vehicles exploded while still in the air, hovering outside the offices of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Dahieh neighborhood in southern Beirut. The second dropped to the ground nearby, “unexploded” and was retrieved by Hezbollah operatives.
Hezbollah: One of the Drones that Crashed in Beirut Was Booby Trapped
Hezbollah: One of the Drones that Crashed in Beirut Was Booby Trapped
Hezbollah immediately pointed the blame towards Israel, claiming the drones originated with the IDF.
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri told international journalists the two drones were Israeli and that their arrival in Beirut amounted to an open attack on Lebanon’s sovereignty. “The new aggression . . . constitutes a threat to regional stability and an attempt to push the situation towards further tension,” Hariri said in a statement Sunday from his office.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah echoed the remark in a pre-scheduled speech on television, calling the crash of “two Israeli drones” a dangerous development. “The latest Israeli development is very, very, very dangerous,” Nasrallah said.
A spokesperson for Hezbollah said earlier in the day that a “reconnaissance drone” crashed on the roof of a building housing the Hezbollah media office in Dahieh, and that a second “booby-trapped” drone filled with explosives sent by Israel to search for the first appeared 45 minutes later, and exploded in the air.
“We did not shoot down or explode any of the drones,” the spokesperson told The Associated Press, in what seems to be an odd statement for a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel’s destruction. Why would Hezbollah not shoot down a reconnaissance drone, unless the group already knew the drone was not sent by an enemy agent?
Video of downed Israeli spy drone in Mouawad neighborhood in 's southern suburb () at 2AM today
Drone said to carry explosives and to conduct assassinations pic.twitter.com/scuyHnjzrp— Mohamad Kleit (@kleitm)
After the UAV crashed, a man was seen taking away the remains of the drone in a white plastic bag, according to Al Jazeera journalist Zeina Khodr, who noted that information was difficult to obtain because Hezbollah “sealed off the southern suburbs of Beirut” shortly after.
The Israel Defense Forces did not comment, citing Israeli policy not to comment on “foreign reports.”
IAF Thwarts Iranian Attack of ‘Multiple Killer Drones’ from Syria
Hours earlier, Israel announced that the IDF had thwarted a deadly “killer drone” attack on the Jewish State by Iran. Israeli fighter pilots attacked a number of terrorist targets southeast of Damascus in Syria. At least five Iranian operatives were killed. They were led personally in their attempted attack on Israel by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement late Saturday night announcing the attack on Iranian military targets, ““I reiterate: Iran has no immunity anywhere. Our forces operate in every sector against the Iranian aggression. ‘If someone rises up to kill you, kill him first.’
“I have directed that our forces be prepared for any scenario. We will continue to take determined and responsible action against Iran and its proxies for the security of Israel.”